An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Degen

by Friedrich Kluge

Degen (1.), m., ‘valiant warrior’; it is not etymologically a sort of figurative sense of Degen (2.), though the tendency of ModHG. is to regard it thus, in such expressions as alter Haudegen, ‘a practised swordsman,’ &c. While Degen, ‘sword,’ first appears in the 15th cent., Degen, ‘hero,’ is an OTeut. word, which is wanting in Goth. (*þigns) only. Comp. OHG. dëgan, AS. þëgn, ‘retainer, attendant,’ E. thane (from þegn); MidHG. dëgen, ‘hero.’ There is to phonetic difficulty in connecting these cognates (Goth. þigna-, from teknó-), as is usually done, with Gr. τέκνον, ‘child’; the difference in sense may be paralleled by AS. magu, ‘boy, son, servant, man.’ But since þëgn was already an established technical term in the OTeut. system, we must in preference regard ‘vassal’ as the primary sense of the word. We have too in Goth. þius (stem þiwa-) for þigwá-, ‘servant, attendant’ (AS. þeó, þeów, OHG. diu; see Dirne and dienen), a more suitable connecting link. Moreover, þëgn, Degen, would, if cognate with τέκνον, be related to τίκτω, ‘to give birth to,’ τοκεύς, ‘begetter,’ τόκος, ‘birth,’ and Sans. takman, ‘child.’

Degen (2.), m., ‘sword,’ first occurs in late MidHG. see Degen (1.); from Fr. dague, ‘dirk.’